


Nightfall

by TheXGrayXLady



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Canon-Typical Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Castlevania AU, F/M, Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-10-20 21:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20682275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheXGrayXLady/pseuds/TheXGrayXLady
Summary: In which Shepard and Kaidan face down the night horde.





	Nightfall

Protective spells gathered at Kaidan’s fingertips, glowing an impossibly bright blue against the lengthening shadows and blood red glow of what may well be his last sunset. Despite the grim circumstances, he fought to suppress a grin. How long had it been since he used his magic like this? How long had it been since it felt _right_?

Shepard’s knives flashed against a demon’s scythe-like claws, unable to find a hole in its defenses. She fell back, her knees buckling, and his heart was in his throat. The thing lunged, its open maw dripping with venom. He was halfway through the hand motions to throw the thing back from her when she caught herself and slid between its legs, opening its belly and spilling sick, black rot behind her.

He’d only known her a day, but it wasn’t the first time one of her tricks nearly gave him a heart attack, and he doubted it would be the last.

He turned, barely catching an antlered form charging at him, spear aimed for his heart. Without pause, he turned the half formed spell against his new foe, impaling it on its own weapon, mindless of the tingling at the back of his head and the slow, but steady, drip of blood from his nose.

From above, one last demon shrieked, its throat and eyes glowing a horrible blue. Shepard rushed to meet its stoop and like they’d been fighting together for years, he already knew what she needed. She jumped between the alley walls and wasn’t half way up before he had a spell ready. She meant to fight the beast in its own domain and when she leapt from the roof, he helped her close the gap. 

At the peak of her jump, she threw one of her knives. It flew straight and true, but just before it struck home, the demon changed course with a great flap of its wings. It tucked itself back in on itself and lunged for her with outstretched talons.

Then, her body twisting like a whirlwind, she dropped her other knife. Her body cracked like a whip, driving her boot into its hilt. The last rays of sunlight caught the flash of the blade and the bright, arching spray of blood from the demon’s neck.

It plummeted to the ground, silently shrieking and clawing at the air before landing in a heap of broken wings and ichor on the cobble stones. With a covertly practiced hand motion, he softened Shepard’s fall. She landed with a too easy, almost off handed grace. 

He leaned forwards, hands on his thighs, trying to catch his breath, but unable to take his eyes from her.

Cloaked in twilight, she was a far cry from the slimy con woman who’d stolen his breakfast. Sure, she’d still steal your purse as soon as look at you, but here she was, trying to save a city that owed her nothing. Standing up for people who she didn’t know without any promise of payment because she was the only one who could. 

She was proud, and clever, and defiant, and achingly, beautifully, human. There wasn’t anyone else he’d rather face Dracula’s wrath beside. 

“Don’t get comfortable Alenko,” she said, grinning like the damned as she retrieved her knives. Was it just him or did she sound excited? “That’s just the vanguard.”

**Author's Note:**

> So this was a prompt that was supposed to be three to ten sentences and I was having too much fun and got carried away. I freely admit that it was an excuse for me to write Kaidan looking on in awe as Shepard spin kicks a knife through a demon.


End file.
